As my Mother used to dishonestly tell us she didn't have favorite children, I'll do the same and say I love all my wines equally. And I do love them. But as it was and remains simply untrue that my Mom had no favorites (I would bet big money I'm not her password for anything), there are certain wines that I find myself especially drawn to. This is one of those bottles.
Fort Ross-Seaview is a tiny AVA on the far Western edge of Sonoma County, within the recently established West Sonoma Coast AVA. Within Fort Ross-Seaview there are 555 acres planted on steep, coastal ridges ranging from 920 to 1800 feet in elevation. The region is most known for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, though some interesting plantings of other varietals have started sprouting up.
The first winegrapes seen in Sonoma County were actually out here on the coast, planted in the early nineteenth century by the Russian-American Company at their Fort Ross outpost. Contemporary winemaking didn't pick back up until the late 1970's, and has only really come into high regard in the last 10-15 years.
Yields are sparse, farming is intensive, weather is a constant combatant, and the resulting wines are sensational.
I'm always proud to work with Kenny Likitprakong of Hobo Wine Company, and this 2021 Fort Ross-Seaview Pinot Noir marks our sixth straight vintage collaborating with him.
I tasted through three lots of this Pinot, coming from a vineyard they call "Richie's." Everything Kenny works with is CCOF and his winemaking style is minimalist, so you're always starting from a great place. We went with a slightly earlier pick and one that had less stem inclusion, a wine that I feel shows ideal balance between fruit and acid,
Adjacent to this vineyard are orchards of heritage apples, and so I'll be making pork chops and apple sauce (a classic my Mom meal) to go with this sometime soon. I also think fresh salmon off the grill would be delicious, as would a nice roast chicken cooked with fresh vegetables.
Should you wish to buy more of this wine, please do so below! Active members (placed an order within the last 3 months) can use the code HOOKITUP! to see bottle prices of $12/per for past releases, while the wine is available for one-off purchasers for $20/bottle.